Switch for electric lights



(No Model.)

E. BLASSER. SWITCH TOR ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

N0..5os,693`. Patented Aug. 22, 1893.

TN E 55E-5 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

ERNEST BLASSER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 503,693, dated August22, 1893.

Application filed August 3, 1892. Serial No. 441,995. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST BLAssEE, of Boston, in the county of Suifolkand State of Massachusetts, have'invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Switches for Electric llljights, of which the followingis a specificalon.

The object of my invention is a switch for making and breaking theelectric circuit so as to light or extinguish an electric lamp` as maybe desired, and in substantially the same way, so far as respects theoperation of it, and its eect upon the light, as illuminating gas isturned on and oft' that is, when the lamp is not lighted, and it isdesired to light it, by a quarter turn of a suitable key, and withoutclick or noise such as accompanies the lighting of an electric lamp asit is now done, the circuit is made and the lamp lighted; and in thesame way, by a quarter turn in the opposite direction the circuit isbroken and the light extinguished, the key being capable only of aquarter-turn forward to light and backward to extinguish.

My object is accomplished in the following manner: I first provide asolid shell-that is, a shell made of one piece. On the upper surface isan opening, having a diameter nearly equalto the diameter of the shell.On the under side, a small hole is provided through which passes thespindle to which the key is attached, and stops are provided so as toenable the key to be turned only one-quarter ot' a complete revolution.On one side is an opening into which is to be screwed the pipe throughwhich the electric conductors are to pass. On the lower part of thespindle is a helical spring bearing against an insulated plate havingattached to its upper side a small plate of brass or other suitableelectrical conducting material, with a small post or protuberance ofsimilar material at each end. Next above that is a plate of insulatingmaterial having in each end a post of electrical conducting materialpassing entirely through the plate, and above that another plate ofinsulating material with two posts of electrical conducting materialpassing entirely through the plate, and, having attached to their upperends, means for connecting with the posts the electric conductors orwires over which the current passes. Above this is a spring, attached tothe upper end of the spindle and bearing at each end on the uppersurface of the last mentioned plate. By means ot' the helical springcoiled around the lower plate, and pressing up the lower plate, and thespring pressing down the upper plate the posts on the lower plate arekept pressed against the upper plate.

Figure l. is a longitudinal view, the case and tubes being in centralsection and the other parts in elevation; Fig. 2. adetail showingin planview, one of the insulating plates, with its posts; Fig. 3. the samewithout the posts; Fig. 4. a plan of one of the plates; Fig. 5. adetail, and Fig. 6. indicates a coupling for use when the apparatus isused for a hall light.

I have shown in the drawings a longitudinal section of my invention.

a', is the key.

Z), is the spindle; b a small protuberance or stop on the key bearingagainst the stop c, on the under side of the shell d. t

c, is a helical spring coiled around the spindle and bearing against theunder surface of the disk or plate f, above which is the disk or platef', both plates being of insulating material. There is attached to theupper side ofthe plate f, a metallic ring g, which is in contact withthe metallic posts h, It', inserted in the plate f; the plates f and fare attached to the spindle and turn with it.

is a disk or plate of insulating material through which are placed themetallic posts k 7c.

7m, is a piece of metal or spring screwed onto the upper end of thespindle l); by means ot the nut n, and the two springs c, and m, theseveral parts described are held in position.

o, are posts placed on one side of the center of the shell for thepurpose ot' keeping the electric conductors on one side and away fromthe spindle so as not to interfere with its free turning, as hereinafterdescribed.

p, q, and r, are electric conductors.

The shell CZ, is solid, that is, it is made of an entire piece of metaland adapted to be screwed into tubes in which are to be placed theconducting wires. I-leretotore the part corresponding to my shell hasbeen made in two parts, of thin metal, the two parts being adapted to besnapped together, that is, the

IOO

edge of one closed over that of the other. All the operative parts ofthe device are put together and operate without any assistance from thisshell, which is, in fact, only a cover. By making the shell in oneentire piece, greater strength and more security for the parts containedtherein, are secured; and also the adaptability of attachment of theshell to the tubes containing the conducting wires is obtained. As aresult the whole will be as firm as a gas cock. It will be seen alsothat my shell is not, as in the case ot that heretofore in use, a merecover, and having no function but that of merely protecting theoperative parts. In mine the tubes are screwed directly to the shell,and it is a support for the operative parts contained within it. Apractical resultof this arrangement is the firmness and steadiness ofoperation above mentioned. In the old form too, the outlet and inletmust be opposite to each other, while in mine they may be at any desiredangle, one to the other. In consequence of this fact my device can beadapted to be used as a center, orhall, light, which when the old formis used, is not possible. Vhen used in this Way it is supplied with anozzle in the upper side of the shell, to which the electric lamp is tobe attached, the spindle being under the shell, and the whole will bearranged substantially as if it were a gas-light.

The operation of myinvention is as follows: A lamp being attached to theabove described device, the key a is turned so as to bring the bases ofthe posts 7e, k in contact with the upper end ot the posts h h. Therewill then be a complete circuit through the conductor q, posts 7a', andh', ring c, posts 7L and 7.5, conductor fr, to the lamp, and from thelamp, through conductorp. When the key is turned so as to bring the stopl2 against the stop c, andthe posts 71 h are removed from theirelectrical contact with the posts 7e, 7e the circuit is broken.

It is obvious that my invention will control one or more circuits andthat the inlets or outlets may be at any angle required; and the lampmay be placed in any desired position or angle.

That I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In an electric switch the combination with an electrielainp andsuitable conductors, of a key and spindle, the spindle provided with aninsulated plate have thereon two conducting posts, and adapted by meansof the key to be brought into, or removed from, contact with twoconducting posts, electrically connected respectively with saidconductors, so that the electric circuit can be made and broken, thespindle, plate, and posts, being contained within a solid shellconnected with a tube in which the conductors are placed, substantiallyas and for the purpose above described.

2. In an electric switch the combination of the key a; the spindle l);the plates f,f, provided with 4the posts 71 71,', and the ring f; theplate t, provided with posts 7n, 7J; and the electric conductors p, q,and r; substantially as and for the purpose above described.

ERNEST BLASSER.

Iitnessesz HENRY J. WARREN, CHAS. H. DREW.

